[UN-2 3, 7. Cf. OE. unscyttan.]

1

  1.  trans. To open or unlock (a door, etc.); † to undo (a lock). Now rare.

2

13[?].  Coer de L., 4212. On schal dwelle the clos withinne, The gate to unschette and unpynne, And stylly to unschette the lok.

3

c. 1315.  Shoreham, I. 2228. Nou, lord, þat coudest maky open Þet no man coude ounschette.

4

1370–80.  Visions of St. Paul, 198, in O. E. Misc., 228. He opened þe Mouþ of þat put, Hit stonk foule wȝon hit was vn-schut.

5

c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 679. My purs I wole vnschete.

6

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XI. iii. 574. Anone as he had vnshet the wyndowe.

7

c. 1475.  Mankind, 52, in Macro Plays, 3. On-schett yowur lokke, & take an halpenye.

8

1530.  Palsgr., 768/2, I unshote, I open, je defferme. Ibid. Unshote the doore. [Cf. 285/2 Unshittyng, deffermure.]

9

1611.  Cotgr., Deffermer, to open; to vnshut, or vndoe a thing shut.

10

1873.  Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap, 274. Compare such paragon With any scarabæus of the brood That … keeps wing in wingcase;… the couple yonder … never bade unshut from sheath the gauze.

11

  absol.  c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems, 52. Off Abyssi this Aungel bar the keyes, Callid Clauis Dauid to shettyn and vnshette.

12

  fig.  c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1573. Thre causes ben, whiche I be wole vnschette And open a-non, whi þou schalt with hire dele.

13

1513.  Douglas, Æneid, XII. Prol. 121. Gymp gerraflouris thar royn levys vnschet.

14

1589.  Fleming, Virg. Georg., II. 24. I enter … on things of old and ancient praise,… being bold t’vnshut or open holie springs.

15

  b.  intr. To become open.

16

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 102. Ther is no dore, which mai charke, Wherof an yhe scholde unschette.

17

a. 1400.  Stockholm Med. MS., ii. 390, in Anglia, XVIII. 317. Ley hem on neuer so strong a lok, It schal onschetyn & onstrok.

18

1649.  G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., cxxix. Wee … need not feare an Asse’s Load Of Solar Earth, can force the Gates vnshutt.

19

  2.  dial. To unharness (a horse).

20

1817.  in Burne, Folk-Lore (1883), 611. His team’s unshut, his whip’s laid up.

21

1841.  Hartshorne, Salop. Ant., Gloss., Unshut, to unlink, or ungear horses.

22

1879.  Shropshire Word-bk., 310.

23